EFFECT OF DIFFERENT HORMONE COMBINATIONS ON CALLUS INDUCTION AND PLANT REGENERATION OF STRAWBERRY

An experiment was undertaken to examine the effects of different combinations of plant growth regulators for callus induction and plantlet regeneration in Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.). Leaf discs derived from two months old strawberry plants were cultured on MS media supplemented with BAP. The cultures were incubated for 4 weeks in dark followed by another 4 weeks under 16/8 hr light regime. The effects of different concentrations of BAP (0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg L-1) on callus induction were investigated. Among the concentrations 3.0 mg L 1 BAP showed the highest percentage (93.33%) of callus induction. To regenerate shoots, the calli derived from leaf discs were cultured on shoot induction media containing different combinations and concentrations of BAP (0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg L-1 ) and GA3 (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg L-1). The highest percentage of shoot regeneration (93.33%) and number of shoots (15.00) per leaf disc was found to be induced on the MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg L 1 BAP and 0.5 mg L 1 GA3. The highest (83%) percentage of rooting in shoots was observed in MS medium in combination with 1.5 mg L 1 GA3 and 1.0 mg L 1 IBA.